Bowling Green, Ky.—Alec Sole’s three-run triple keyed a four-run fifth inning as the Bowling Green Hot Rods defeated the Dayton Dragons 6-4 on Tuesday afternoon. The Dragons went 1-3 on their four-game road trip and fell to 5-8 in the second half.

Bowling Green built a 5-0 lead with one run in the third and four in the fifth before the Dragons mounted a comeback effort. Dayton got two runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh to cut the deficit to 5-4. But the Dragons left the tying run at third in the seventh and eighth innings and left two runners on base in the ninth after Bowling Green had added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth.

Sole’s triple was the key play in the game. Leading 1-0 with two outs and the bases empty in the fifth, the next three Hot Rods batters reached safely to load the bases. Sole then hit a long drive to center field that cleared Dayton’s Jonathan Reynoso and went to the fence, allowing all three runners to score.

Trailing 5-0 in the sixth, Dayton’s Gavin LaValley delivered a two-run double to make it 5-2. In the seventh, Argenis Aldazoro’s run-scoring single brought in the Dragons third run, and a sacrifice fly by Cory Thompson made it 5-4. With Reynoso at third and two outs, Shed Long grounded back to the pitcher to end the inning.

In the Dayton eighth, Paul Kronenfeld doubled with one out to get the tying run into scoring position. Avain Rachal’s ground out moved Kronenfeld to second with two outs, and Jimmy Pickens received an intentional walk. Pickens stole second to put runners at second and third, but Jose Ortiz popped foul to the first baseman to end the threat. Bowling Green scored an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth to extend their lead to 6-4.

In the ninth, Reynoso and Thompson delivered back-to-back one-out singles to put the tying run at first base, but Long flied out and LaValley grounded out to end the game.

The Dragons collected eight hits. Reynoso was 2 for 3 with a walk to lead the offense.

Dragons starting pitcher Tejay Antone (4-7) suffered the loss. He worked five innings, allowing 10 hits and five runs with one walk and three strikeouts. Jake Ehret replaced Antone and went two and two-thirds innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits without a walk or strikeout.

The Dragons (5-8 in the second half; 44-39 overall) return to Dayton to begin a six-game homestand on Wednesday when they Bowling Green (7-6, 44-39) at 7:00 p.m. at Fifth Third Field. Junior Morillo (1-3, 5.57) will start for the Dragons. Bowling Green will counter with Greg Harris (5-5, 2.25).

All Dragons games are broadcast on radio on Fox Sports 980 WONE and on the internet at wone.com. Games are also available on the Dayton Dragons mobile app.

Notes: The Dragons were 2 for 13 with runners in scoring position on Tuesday and went 2 for 21 in the two games in Bowling Green.